Hank Senior was a habitual drunkard who could never hold a job in the biz (he was fired from the Grand Old Opry due to his constant drunkenness, for example) and died young in that state of condition. Hank Junior is, IMHO, the far better of the two.

(And I am most decidedly not a country music nutcase.)

Mike

Yeah, Hank Jr. is a real class act...Are you ready for some football?

OT: As for Hank Sr., personally, I don't view alcoholism or drug addiction as something to negate someone's contribution to culture and history. Alcoholism is a disease. Anyway, Hank Sr. is widely considered to be an extremely influential musician in the American landscape, including on Rock and Roll. Hank Jr. not so much, though I don't discount that he has had a notable influence as well (despite, in my opinion, being a prick). Obviously, music is a matter of taste, but discounting someone's contribution to the world because they were an alcoholic seems kind of a low blow (said the son of two). Personally I think Hank Sr. was a genius and I'm not alone in this (from Wikipedia):

In 1961, Williams was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and he was inducted in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1987, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the category Early Influence. He was ranked second in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003, behind only Johnny Cash. In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked him number 74 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The website Acclaimedmusic, which collates recommendations of albums and recording artists, has a year-by-year recommendation for top artists. Hank Williams is ranked first for the decade 1940–1949 for his song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Many rock and roll pioneers of the 1950s, such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Ricky Nelson, Jack Scott, and Conway Twitty recorded Williams songs early in their careers.

Now I wants me some Hank! Better dig out the Complete Works collection this weekend....

Why don't all women's bras hook in the front? Just seems like it'd be more convenient.

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Mostly they are just thrown out. But there's this group that recycles the collected soap and remanufactures it for export to developing countries to help with hygiene initiatives. http://www.globalsoap.org/

"He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?"Jeremiah 22:16

Okay, not all cars are named after places west of the Mississippi, I believe Yugo briefly produced a car called the Florida, but I'd guess 90% of the cars that are named after places are named after places out west.

Last edited by Maister; 13 Feb 2013 at 8:38 AM.

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Okay, not all cars are named after places west of the Mississippi, I believe Yugo briefly produced a car called the Florida, but I'd guess 90% of the cars that are named after places are named after places out west.

The sense of nostalgic freedom of the west. Think Manifest Destiny now get into your car and driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive.

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.-Martin Luther King Jr.

Okay, not all cars are named after places west of the Mississippi, I believe Yugo briefly produced a car called the Florida, but I'd guess 90% of the cars that are named after places are named after places out west.

I guess Cleveland, Newark, and Schenectady didn't test well as names of car models.

I guess Cleveland, Newark, and Schenectady didn't test well as names of car models.

Those sound like models for the budget-minded auto buyer.

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Hmmm, I wonder if Detroit should consider that name for one of the newer SUV lines?
(this would be a good place for someone to provide a youtube link to the Simpson's 'Canyonero' commercial

People will miss that it once meant something to be Southern or Midwestern. It doesn't mean much now, except for the climate. The question, “Where are you from?” doesn't lead to anything odd or interesting. They live somewhere near a Gap store, and what else do you need to know? - Garrison Keillor

Hank Senior was a habitual drunkard who could never hold a job in the biz (he was fired from the Grand Old Opry due to his constant drunkenness, for example) and died young in that state of condition. Hank Junior is, IMHO, the far better of the two.

(And I am most decidedly not a country music nutcase.)

Mike

Hank Senior was a talented musician. He had problems, but most of his really hard drinking problems occured later in his too short life. Hank the third is also a talented musician. Talent skips generations in the Williams family. Hank Jr. is a constant drunk with no musical talent. I'm suprised that you would make this statement about him. Hank Jr. is essentially an embarassment to his family.